Bad ball joint boots can allow the insides to rust and squeak. Surprised
me, too! Jack it up and work some grease into the joint to buy a little
time. Don't try to buy too much time!
I agree about the welding. I've pressed bushings into a lot of American
cars a-frames and none of them have felt it necessary to weld the
bushings into the arms.
I've done a few sets, my 87 about 10 years ago. Okay so far!
Al Brase

Shawn Wright wrote:

>Ball joints may cause play (drifting on the highway, especially at with initial steering
>input) and maybe clunking if bad enough, but I can't imagine them squeaking.
>Sounds like someone just got the wrong name, but of course, check the ball joints
>while you're there.
>Believe me - when you see how much force is needed to re-install the upper C-A
>bushings, you'll agree that no spot weld is going to make a difference!!
>
>On 9 Feb 2005 at 21:04, Jaap Nauta <bus.mail@IAE.NL> wrote:
>
>
>
>>I'm a bit confused now: in some other article I read that the most
>>probable cause for "sweaky" suspension is worn upper ball joint. With a
>>description how to remove them similar to the one Shawn wrote.
>>So what should you replace, the bushing or the ball joint?
>>When changing the bushings, after install you have to secure the
>>bushings with spot welds to prevent them from turning (according to the
>>Bentley). I don't have welding equipment, so how bad is it when you
>>don't do this?
>>
>>Jaap
>>'87 diesel
>>
>>Shawn Wright wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>On 9 Feb 2005 at 9:42, The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>>But...my front and rear coil springs are sweaky.
>>>>>   -What causes this?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>Most commonly a front suspension squeak is caused by worn upper
>>>>control arm
>>>>bushings:
>>>>
>>>>http://busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=251407077
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Yup. Can be confirmed by spraying WD-40 or similar into the bushings
>>>and driving.
>>>Don't expect it to last very long, but it can confirm the source of
>>>the noise. I sprayed a
>>>liquid moly grease in mine for about a year every month of so before I
>>>finally replaced
>>>them. This was 5-6 years ago, and I only did one side. The other side
>>>is still fine. the
>>>job can be done without press, but it requires a vise and lots of
>>>banging with a
>>>hammer. You will deform the old one getting it out, but this can then
>>>be used to install
>>>the new ones without damaging them.
>>>
>>>While you're in there - did you install the front upper shock rubber
>>>bushings that
>>>came with the KYBs? If so, and you have knocking in the front end,
>>>this is the cause.
>>>I did this, and was told about the problem. I had kept the old
>>>bushings (rubber
>>>donuts), so I reinstalled them, and knocking is gone.
>>>
>>>--
>>>Shawn Wright
>>>I.T. Manager
>>>Shawnigan Lake School
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>--
>Shawn Wright
>I.T. Manager
>Shawnigan Lake School
>
>
>